Improvement in whiffletrees and neck-yokes



G. w. EDDY.

Whiietree and Neck Yoke.

No.l67,322, Pa1entedAug.31,1s75.

wzesses MPETERS, PHOTOvLITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C4 pipe, may be used.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. EDDY, OE WATEEPOED, NEW YORK, AssIGNOE To LYMAN K.

l EDDY, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN WHIFFLETREES AND NECK-YOKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 167,322, dated August31, 1875 5 application iiled July 8, 1875.

`To all whom it may concern:

Be it 4known that I, GEORGE W. EDDY, of Waterford, in the countyofSaratoga and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements inthe Construction of Whiffletrees and Neck-Yokes, ofWhich the followingis a speciication:

My invention relates to Whifdetrees and neek-yokes; and the inventionconsists in constructing these articles of tubular pieces of metal,together With certain details of construction, all as hereinafter morefully set forth.

Figure l represents a set of whifletrees made on my plan. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section of a neck-yoke; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinalsection of a Whiftietree or neck-yoke, showing a modification thereof.

Whifietrees and neck-yokes are ordinarily constructed of Wood, thoughoccasionally they are made solid of metal. ln either case they arecomparatively heavy and clumsy, and if made of Wood are liable to injuryand decay.

The object of my present invention is to make these articles in such amanner as to render them light and durable, as Well as more ornamental.To do this I construct them of pieces of tubular metal of proper sizeand shape. For this purpose Wrought-iron pipe, such as is ordinarilyused for gas or Water To construct a whiflietree or neck-yoke I take apiece of pipe and cut it to the required length, as represented by A,Figs. 1 and 2. I then lit over this, at its center, a shorter piece, B,to strengthen it, and to secure the connections or attachments. Thiscentral piece B maybe either of Wrought or malleable iron, or ifpreferred, in case of the more ornamental ones, it may be made of brass.In the case of the neck-yoke, if made for light carriages with a strap,G, as usual, for holding the pole or tongue, the piece B maybe made withan annular recess to receive and hold the strap C, as represented inFig. 2. For the heavier class of articles used with lumber-Wagons andthe like, instead of the strap U the ordinary metal ring may be used, itbeing secured, as represented in Fig. 1, by one or more eyebolts, or inany other suitable manner. The ends, Whether for whifiletrees orneck-yokes, will be provided with caps or terminals D, as i representedin the several gures, they being made to screw-on over the ends of thepart A, as shown in Figs. l and 2, or made to screw inside of the tubeA, as shown in Fig. 3. These terminals may be otherwisesecured---for instance,theymay be brazed or soldered fast, or they may be fastened by apin, screw, rivet, or bolt, but I prefer to have them screwed fast, asrepresented, as by so doing they can be more readily detached, so as tochange the peculiar fastenings for the tugs, in case it be required, andalso enable them to be turned half over, so as to bring the Wear on theopposite side when one side becomes Worn. In the case of Whiflietreesthese terminals D Will be provided with suitable hooks, rings, or otherdevices, as may be desired, for fastening the traces to. So on theneck-yokes the terminals D may be made with annular recess for thereception 0f the usual straps at the ends, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, orthey may have rings attached, as may be preferred, these being optionalWith the manufacturer, and depending mainly on the special purpose forwhich the article is to be used, .Whether for light or heavy Work.

ln order to render these articles still stronger I fill their interiorwith Wood, as represented in Figs. l and 2. In order to it this Wood intight, I divide it longitudinally and diagonally, as shown in Fig. 2,the two pieces 0 thus being made slightly wedged-shaped, by which meansthey can be driven or forced in very tight, thus being made to f1ll thetube snugly, so that the Wood Will not become loose therein. If, by anymeans it should become loose, it can be readily tightened up by removingone ot' the terminals D, and driving up the pieces o. This wooden coremayer;- tend the Whole or a part only ofthe length of the tube A', asmay be found most expedient. By the use of the wood filling a smaller orthinner tubing may be used, and the required degree of strength beobtained.

By this method of constructing these articles of tubular metal piecesthey may also be made adjustable, as to length, as represented in Fig.3. In that case the part A will be made shorter, and the smaller piece Ewill be fitted-into each'end, theparts being yprovided withaseri'esofholes, e,-andfs`erews or bolts c, by which means they can belengthened or shortened, as maybe required. rlhis is more especiallyimportant for the use of teams per- `forminglieavy hauling' on ordinaryroads, as.

'at certain timesit'is*"'desirall'e tofu'sefa *long1 neck-yoke7 and atIother tiniesl'fas'ishort#ones So, too7 it is useful in eases Where oneof the animals has the habit of hauling77 or crowding, 7 as insu'eh'ea'ses itsend'ofitheneckyokei can be lengthened or shortened tosuit.

If it be desired the tubular body of thesev articles canbe made of anfovalffforim'zincrosssection, so as to impart to them greater rigidiity. This can be done either by passing the tubing through rolls beforeit is out up into lengths,thereby ilattening `the itube'some` what, orAit maybe donelafter the :parts-are cut -of properr length. Thefend``portions mayv be vthus attened,"v While I the =-eentral portion retains`its original form.

`It will at once be seen'. that by? this improvement Ain -the artf ofconstruetingfwhifetrees `and neck-yokes very ligh tfandfstronrgfarticlesV vmay be thus made, and `that theywm'ay be yeither painted orplated, and vthus be made ein;`

`be,'\f`varied moreor less;l 'aecordn g to the special use for whichthey may be intended, and the ltaste of the party designing ormanufacturing them.

Having thus described my invention, what 1.a AST-'an `-imi'rov'ementinifthe E. construction voff-Whiflietrees and neck-yokes the tubular bodyA and the central re-enforee or sleeve B, constructed substantially asdescribed.

2. In combinationwiththeitubular bodyfA vtbe-Woodl filling A'appliedtheretoyfsubstantially as shown and described.

I'n-'cornbinationiwith the 4tubular rbody- A ether terminal-.for caps D,1: constructed i: Aand applied substantially lasa-set: forth.

GEO. W. EDDY. v lVitfnesses:

'F.ABosWELa RIGHT.

